Carlisle

Carlisle's population increased by about 6,800 between the last two censuses. This semi-automated article highlights some of the key changes among the local population.

The population reached nearly 110,000

In the decade to 2011, the population of Carlisle increased by 6.7%, from just under 101,000 to 108,000.

The addition of almost 6,800 people means this area's population increased at a slower rate than the total population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Carlisle was home to, on average, 0.74 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was lower than the average across the North West

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across the North West, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Carlisle

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Carlisle increased by two years, from 40 to 42 years.

This area had a higher average age than the North West and remained somewhat older than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of just under 2,400 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by just under 2,000.

About 12.0% of people in Carlisle are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, North West and Carlisle by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Religion in Carlisle

The 2011 Census asked a voluntary question about religion. Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation, the largest percentage point increase in Carlisle was among those who said they had no religion, rising 12.7 points.

In 2011, 24.6% of respondents in Carlisle gave this answer to the question on religion, compared with 11.9% of those who answered in 2001.

Across the North West, the percentage of people who answered the question on religion that described themselves as having no religion increased from 11.3% to 21.1%, while across England the percentage went from 15.7% to 26.5%.

Of those who disclosed their religion in Carlisle, 74.1% said they were Christian, compared with 87.5% in 2001. About 0.0% said they were Sikh, compared with 0.0% 10 years prior.

The percentage of people who disclosed a religious affiliation and did not state their religion decreased from 8.4% to 7.3%.

In Carlisle, 6.8% chose not to answer the question on religious affiliation, compared with 7.8% in 2001. In North West, 6.2% did not answer the voluntary question, compared with 7.7% in 2001. Across England, 7.2% of people did not answer, compared with 7.7% in 2001.

The population without a religion in Carlisle increased by 12 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents who answered the voluntary question on religion in England, North West and Carlisle by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Carlisle

The percentage of Carlisle residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability decreased from 6.9% to 6.7% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just under 1 in 25 (3.8%) reported being limited a lot in their day-to-day activities, compared with 3.1% in 2001. The percentage of Carlisle residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability decreased from 90.1% to 89.5%.

The proportion of people who are slightly limited by a long-term health problem or disability fell here at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 7.0% in 2001 to 6.7% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 6.8% to 6.5%.

The proportion of people who are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability was higher than across the North West

Percentage of usual residents that reported being slightly limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in the North West and the average across England, March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of privately rented homes increased in Carlisle at a faster rate than in Eden (the local authority area that shares the largest boundary with Carlisle).

In Carlisle, the proportion of private renting increased from 8.3% in 2001 to 14.3% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion in nearby Eden increased from 12.9% to 16.0%.

Across the North West, the share of privately rented homes increased from 8.5% to 15.4%.

The rate of social housing in Carlisle fell from 18.2% to 15.3%, while the rate of home ownership decreased from 70.4% to 68.3%.

Private renting in Carlisle increased by 6 percentage points

Percentage of households in Carlisle, the North West and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Carlisle residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 9.7% to 6.0% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (80.1%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 67.4% in 2001. The percentage of Carlisle residents that described their health as fair decreased from 22.9% to 14.0%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 11.0% in 2001 to 6.8% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Carlisle decreased by 3.7 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Carlisle, the North West and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

More homes without children

The percentage of households without children increased in Carlisle at a faster rate than across England.

In Carlisle, the proportion of households without children increased from 62.6% in 2001 to 64.7% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion across England increased from 61.1% to 61.2%.

Across the North West, the share of households without children increased from 59.3% to 60.8%.

The proportion of households with children in Carlisle fell from 27.3% to 25.5%, while the proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents decreased from 10.1% to 9.7%.

The proportion of households without children was higher than across the North West

Percentage of households without children across local authority areas in the North West and the average across England, March 2011

More people cohabiting

The percentage of households in Carlisle, which comprised a cohabiting couple, increased from 7.6% to 9.7% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just over one in three (34.0%) households had only one person, compared with 32.1% in 2001. The percentage of households in Carlisle which comprised a married couple (with or without children) decreased from 37.0% to 32.9%.

The proportion of households with an unmarried couple increased here at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 7.9% in 2001 to 9.8% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 8.3% to 9.9%.

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple in Carlisle increased by 2.1 percentage points

Percentage of households in Carlisle, the North West and England that had an unmarried couple, March 2001 and March 2011

More adults are separated from partners

The percentage of adults in Carlisle that had divorced or separated from a married or civil partner increased from 10.8% to 12.2% between the last two censuses.

In 2011, just under one in two (47.5%) people aged 16 and over said they were married, compared with 52.3% in 2001. The percentage of single people in Carlisle increased from 27.4% to 32.2%.

The proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a married or civil partner increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 11.0% in 2001 to 12.0% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 10.6% to 11.6%.

The proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a marriage or civil partner was higher than across the North West

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they had divorced or broken up with a married or civil partner across local authority areas in the North West and the average across England, March 2011

Change in work hours

The percentage of employed people in Carlisle working less than 16 hours increased from 1.8% to 2.8% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just under one in nine (10.7%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, compared with 13.6% in 2001.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 1.7% in 2001 to 3.0% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.9% to 3.1%.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week in Carlisle increased by 1 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Carlisle, the North West and England that said they had worked less than 16 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Ethnicity in Carlisle

In 2011, 98.1% of Carlisle residents said they were from one of the White ethnic groups, making it the most common ethnicity in this local authority area. The population from these groups has increased from 99.1% in 2001.

Across the North West, the percentage of people from one of the White ethnic groups fell from 94.4% to 90.2%, while across England the percentage went from 90.7% to 85.1%.

Around 1.2% of people in Carlisle said they were from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups, compared with 0.5% in 2001. About 0.5% said they were from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed), compared with 0.3% 10 years prior.

The percentage of people who said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups increased from 0.1% to 0.1%.

The population from one of the White ethnic groups in Carlisle remained close to 98.1%

Percentage of usual residents in England, North West and Carlisle by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

Change in unpaid care

The percentage of Carlisle residents that provided between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 1.1% to 1.3% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

The percentage who reported providing at least 50 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 2.0%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 1.3% in 2001 to 1.6% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.1% to 1.4%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care in Carlisle remained close to 1.3%

Percentage of usual residents in England, North West and Carlisle by care, March 2001 and March 2011

Changing work life

The percentage of Carlisle residents that were unemployed increased from 3.5% to 3.6% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just under 6 in 10 (55.9%) people aged 16 to 74 said they were employed, compared with 53.6% in 2001. While the percentage of Carlisle residents that were self-employed increased from 8.2% to 9.2%.

The proportion of unemployed people increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 3.6% in 2001 to 4.7% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 3.4% to 4.4%.

The rate of unemployment was lower than across the North West

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 that said they were unemployed across local authority areas in the North West and the average across England, March 2011

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